Oil and gas wells are drilled into the earth and reach a subterranean reservoir so that liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons can be recovered from the reservoir. Eventually, the gas and liquid hydrocarbons are separated into various fractions for use as gasoline, petrochemicals, asphalt, waxes, and the like, at a refinery.
A number of patents disclose the use of a diesel engine to heat a chemical solution before injecting the chemical solution into a well bore and for injecting engine heat into the well bore for improving the recovery of hydrocarbons from the well, e.g., see U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,073,695 and 3,833,059.
Produced fluids are water based fluids recovered from a oil or gas well, and are often contaminated with hydrocarbons. The hydrocarbons prevent direct disposal of the produced fluids. Therefore, separators are often installed in attempts to reduce the hydrocarbon content in the produced fluid.
The hydrocarbon content of the produced fluid includes highly combustible materials, for example, C6-C10 hydrocarbons, C10-C20 hydrocarbons and C20-C28 hydrocarbons.
The apparatus and method described herein are directed toward heating the produced fluid after removal from the well. The heating can be one step in the separation of contaminants, e.g., particulates, or hydrocarbons, from the produced fluid.